Dark Wings
by Aya Hinata
Summary: AU. Things couldn't be anymore confusing for Tohru Honda. First a life-saving encounter from a young boy, then a strange meeting with a slightly older man as her new English teacher. Then there‘s an odd boy as her new landlord. Just who are they? TohruX?


Author: Hello all, I am back. For now. Unfortunately, as I'm typing this chapter, it's on a new laptop. My pc crashed again, so I can't do any revisions until I can get those files back, (and I WILL get them back, somehow).

Anyway, I got this idea while re-reading my "Eternally Forgotten" fanfic. That fic needs attention. I really should revise it and fix all the errors. I've improved greatly since I published it. When I look at it now, I think about how terrible it looks.

This fan fiction may be a little confusing at first, but you'll get it as you go. Cookies to the people who figure it out before the revelation chapter! =D I'll write it eventually

Anyway, moving on.

Introductions are always hard, so I asked a friend to help me out with it.

Kyou: Is it really that hard to write an introduction? You've done it tons of times.

Author: I'm fine once I'm passed the intro, but I can never seem to write a beginning without it sounding like total crap!

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Disclaimer: Saying it once. I do not own Fruits Basket. I wish I did though. T_T

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**Dark Wings**

_Chapter 1: First Meeting._

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The dream had turned into an utter nightmare. Tohru felt like she was drowning inside of her own head. There was blood. It was everywhere. Tohru looked at her hands and began to shake. They were also covered in blood.

With tiny and frightened pupils, she slowly looked up in front of her. She'd had this nightmare before, but she couldn't help but look ahead at the vivid image that would be there. If she looked at it now, maybe it would make it easier the next time she went to sleep. It was wishful thinking.

In front of her was a sight that had been haunting her ever since May.

A woman was laying on the pavement several feet in front of her. She was on her front and her eyes were open. Her head was facing out to the side. Her eyes were glazed over, never blinking. Her body was covered in blood. Her own blood.

This woman had been Tohru's mother.

There was still more to this nightmare. After a few seconds Tohru began hearing sounds behind her. Birds tweeting, drapes blowing in a breeze, and the beeping of hospital machinery.

Slowly, Tohru began to turn around to the scene. And then…

Tohru woke with a start. Sitting up quickly, she gasped. A trickle of sweat dripped from her forehead. She looked over at the alarm clock that had woken her up. She reached over to it and turned the alarm off. The sound died, and Tohru sighed to herself.

She place her hands against her face and wiped off the tears and sweat. Another night of wasted sleep. She felt exhausted. She must have been tossing and turning again. It always happened.

Last May, Tohru's mother had died. A car had swiveled in the road and had sped in the direction of her mom, Kyoko. There'd been no hope for the woman.

When Tohru was younger, she'd lost her father, Katsuya, to an illness that he couldn't recover from. After that it had been just her and her mother. At least, until a few months ago.

Tohru looked at the clock again. It was definitely time for her to get up and she knew better than to lay about any longer. It was the first day of senior year. Once the year was over she wouldn't have to go any longer. Not that she was in any hurry to leave. Although, it would be hard to go about telling everyone that she was fine and doing better since May.

Everyone knew about it. No matter how hard Tohru tried to look like she was okay, people would ask her, time and time again, if she was alright. She would keep saying she was, but the more people asked, the less okay she was. The reminder was all it took to make her falter, even for just a moment. Her smile would falter, but she would quickly bring it on full force, and force the lie from her lips.

"I'm doing fine, thank you so much," she'd say. But she was not okay. It felt like she was in a play, and that sentence was her only line. It felt rehearsed. Not real at all. She wondered if the answer truly fooled anybody at all. It certainly didn't fool her.

Tohru finally pulled herself out of the bed, placing her bare feet on the hardwood floor. She wandered over to the closet in her light blue silk pajamas. She grabbed her school uniform and headed for the bathroom.

The apartment only had one bedroom and one bathroom, but that was fine. It was all that she needed. She was the only one living in the apartment, and she felt herself fortunate enough that her landlord had been kind enough to allow her to stay there at a reduced price.

Of course, that reduced price was only temporary. He'd told her that once she got settled in a good job he'd put the rent back at its normal price.

Now that Tohru had actually applied, interviewed, and was accepted for a job at a local hotel, she'd be able pay the landlord what he was owed. It was the least she could do. She didn't mind paying the normal amount.

She finished her shower and dressed herself, brushing her hair back and placing blue ribbons in the sides of her head. She straightened her tie and then put on her brown school shoes.

Grabbing a pop tart, she quickly put her lunch bag inside her book bag and walked out of her apartment. She closed the door and locked it behind her, sticking the key into her bag.

"Oh, Miss Honda, I'm so relieved I caught you before you left," said a elderly voice behind her.

Tohru looked over at the old man, and gave him a bright smile.

"Oh, good morning Mr. Oden," Tohru greeted.

Mr. Oden was the apartment building's landlord. He was getting pretty old, but still had a good head on his shoulders.

"Good morning to you too, Tohru," Mr. Oden said. The old man smiled. "May I have a second of your time before you head out?"

"Of course!" Tohru said, blinking. She wondered what he wanted to talk about. Was she late on her rent? It happened once or twice so far, even though she always paid it.

"Well, you see, my dear. I'm getting to be quite an old man. It is getting harder and harder to manage the apartment building," he said. "So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'll be quitting the position of landlord."

Tohru gasped. "Quitting? Why? I mean, I guess it's your choice, you can do what you want and I'm not saying you have to keep working," she rambled. "But you're such a kind landlord. Who'd replace you?" she asked.

"Why that is another matter which I'm speaking to you about," he said. "You see, I'll be leaving today. But don't worry. The new landlord will be here sometime in the afternoon. I hope you make him feel welcome and help the lad out. Though I'm sure you both will do fine. I've already explained your situation to him, but don't be afraid to remind him of it if he happens to forget about it."

Tohru slowly nodded. "Okay," she said. She'd miss Mr. Oden. But she'd do her best to help out the new landlord. She smiled at Mr. Oden. "I'll do whatever I can. I hope I still get to see you after this."

"Oh, don't you worry about that," he said. "I'll still check up on you all. I wouldn't just leave you all high and dry. I just have homely commitments to attend to."

"That's alright. I understand," Tohru told him. "Anyway, I'd better go before I become late on my first day. Goodbye, Mr. Oden, and have a safe day!" she waved to him and hurried off.

"You too, Miss Honda!" Mr. Oden called after her.

Tohru exited the apartment building and skipped down the steps onto the sidewalk. She took a left and then took off in a sprint. She couldn't believe that Mr. Oden was quitting. He'd been so nice. But she had to respect the old man. He'd lived a long time and needed to focus on more important things.

Another thought came to her. Who was the new landlord that was replacing him? He'd never given her the new guy's name, just that she'd meet him when she returned to the apartment after school.

She's have to wait until then to meet him. For now, though, she had a class to get to.

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Increasing her pace, she managed to get through the school gets and into the front doors just before the bell. Crap, she was still late. With only a moment's rest, she took off down the hallway, peering at her schedule for the room number.

Tohru opened the classroom door with a quick slide. She bent over, gasping for breath."Sorry… I'm… Late…. Won't happen… Again," she spoke between pants."That's quite alright," said a light male voice from the front of the room.

Tohru looked up at the speaker.

At the front of a room stood a man in a teaching uniform. He had black pants on with a white tucked in shirt and a black tie. He had black hair and his eyes were dark. He smiled.

"I'll excuse you. It is your first day, after all, and you wouldn't be the only late student I've had this morning," he said lightly.

"Oh. Okay. Still, I'm very sorry for being late," Tohru straightened up and walked into the room.

The teacher waved a dismissive hand. "Uh uh, no more apologizing. Have a seat."

"Oh. O-okay," she said, nervously, and sat down in an empty desk. She looked up at the board but saw no name on it.

The teacher addressed everyone. "Alright, kids, welcome to senior year. I will be your homeroom and English teacher. My name is Mr. Sohma," he said, smiling. "But you may all simply call me Shigure."

He looked up at the clock and then went to the chalkboard.

"Class will now be in session. Let's get started, shall we?"

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End of chapter.

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Author: Woohoo! It's done! Wait 'til next chapter! =D

Ja Ne!


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